9/11 Revisited

Paul Farkas

Administrator
Staff member
Dec 28, 2000
80,780
4,745
113
www.odwire.org
School/Org
Columbia University / PCO
City
Lake Oswego
State
OR
The Nation and indeed the world are marking the events of last year's tragedy. We at seniordoc.org can rely on, not only memory, but the posts of our members with first hand accounts as well those who shared their feeling far from ground zero.

Adam and I spent the weekend on September 9 and 10th in Chicago. He planned to drive back Ann Arbor to continue his Consulting work on Monday and I was going to fly back to Florida on Tuesday.

By 10 am Monday our plans changed. After the disasters in New York and Washington, followed by a plane crash in Pennsylvania, we looked out of our Chicago apartment window. Less than one mile to the southeast is the John Hancock Building and three miles to the Southwest, the Sears Tower. Both could be prime terrorist targets, very close to our apartment.

The airports were closed and Chicago was shutting down. We decided to leave town by car as quickly as possible. The roads were jammed and there were gas lines in Indiana similar to those of the energy crisis of the 1970s. We were able to fill the tank and fortunately consumer panic subsided by late afternoon when we reached Tennessee.

Because of all the unknown parameters about who created this crisis, we decided to drive straight through to Florida with no overnight stops. We arrived in Boca Raton on September 12.

I set up the topic on seniordoc.org September 13, saying...


Paul Farkas
Administrator

Registered: Dec 2000
Location: Boca Raton, FL, USA

Share Your Outrage

We are all finally coming out of our state of shock after the events of September 11, 2001. None of us will forget that day.

Most of the Seniordoc family have either been directly or peripherally affected by this tragedy.Sometimes it helps to vent your feelings.

I just had a conversation with a close childhood friend whose son is an Emergency Room Physician. He is attached to a Brooklyn Division of the NY Fire Department. He was one of the first workers on the scene when the call went out after the initial explosion at the World Trade Center.

His job is to treat the injured firemen. He was in one of the neighboring buildings when the first World Trade Center building came down near him. He was buried in rubble but was able to be dug out.

He continued treating the injured and worked round the clock. A true hero. His parents only received word of his being OK from a volunteer who collected names and then called loved ones outside the disaster area where phone service was available. I'm certain this is only one of many stories.

My friend called me because he had to vent. Do you have feeling you wish to communicate? This is the place to share it with colleagues.

We look forward to your post.

Paul



Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

09-13-2001 05:58 PM



Paul Farkas
Administrator

Registered: Dec 2000
Location: Boca Raton, FL, USA
Posts: 961
Some survivor information

If you have friends or family who might have been involved in the the World Trade Center disaster, here is some added information.


http://wtc.ny.com/

Paul



Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

09-13-2001 06:29 PM



O. Doyle Dannenberg
Member

Registered: Jul 2001
Location: Escondido, CA., USA
Posts: 2
Response to your message on America's tragedy

Dear Paul:

I share with you and all Americans a sense of grief and sorrow at this tragic event. My pastor was to be away for our weekly prayer meeting last night and had asked me a week ago to lead it. I used comments from Norman Vincent Peale's Booklet "One Nation Under God" which cited our nations strong belief in God; quoted many of our presidents.

Then I shared some Bible verses I thought appropriate: Leviticus 19:18 "You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord." Then I went to Romans l2:11-21 excerpts: 19: Beloved," do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath, for it is written "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord....21 Do not be overcome by evil, but "overcome evil with good".

I pray for our President, our Government, and for all those who
have lost loved ones in this terrible tragedy wrought by these
terrorists. I pray that those responsible will receive justice and
that Americans will unite behind our President who has demonstrated a strong belief in our Creator and seeks to follow His will.

I join all who ask: GOD BLESS AMERICA.

O. Doyle Dannenberg, O.D.



Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

09-13-2001 09:06 PM



Paul Farkas
Administrator

Registered: Dec 2000
Location: Boca Raton, FL, USA
Posts: 961

Another point of view

Dear Doyle:

What you say makes perfect spiritual sense.

However, since I must live in the present and must fly on airplanes routinely, I will call upon a more modern thought.

" Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice shame on me ".
Our government should have responded with full force against not only the religious zealots who believe they get their suicidal rewards in heaven, but the governments who harbored and encouraged these non- psychotic lunatics.

I don't believe those in the leadership roles who sponsor these misguided individuals wish to leave the here and now for their rewards associated with Martyrdom. So forgive me if I do not personally wish to turn the other cheek. I for one enjoy the present and do not wish to be part of a Boeing 767 guided missile. Let's move on them once and for all.

I do feel however every effort should be made by our leaders to calm any prejudice against Muslims and those from the Middle East, who are fine individuals and contribute to our nation.

Let's hope one of our President's prayer services will be conducted in a Mosque. He also represents 7 million God fearing Muslims. Let us not repeat our shame by repeating the manner we treated our Americans of Japanese origin at the outbreak and during World War 2.

Other points of view are welcomed and encouraged.

Paul



Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

09-13-2001 11:48 PM



O. Doyle Dannenberg
Member

Registered: Jul 2001
Location: Escondido, CA., USA
Posts: 2
Paul:

Thank you for your response. I concur that it is vital for our president to take positive action as soon as he has the information necessary to respond to the perpetrators of the tragedy in New York.

Doyle



Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

09-14-2001 12:29 AM



AdminWolf
Administrator

Registered: Feb 2001
Location:
Posts: 77
Donations

You can make a donation to the Red Cross here:

http://www.amazon.com/red-cross

100% of your donation will go to the Red Cross. They've already raised a few million dollars. I doubt it will be close to enough.



Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

09-14-2001 01:41 AM



Donald F. Ezekiel
Member

Registered: Jan 2001

Location: West Perth. Western Australia

Posts: 10

We all feel the pain from this unbelievable act.

I just cannot understand how anyone could even conceive to do this.
I have a son working in New York. His girl friend worked on the 25th floor of the Trade center.

When the first plane hit, the building shook and things were displaced. The fellow at the next desk said that this was much worse than the bombing at the center some years ago. They all took off down the stairs. When they got outside, they looked up only to see the second plane crash into the building. They all just ran .

We are just so thankful that they are okay.
I just hope that the US goes for these types in a big way and continues to. If the resolve is not there, then the free world will always be ramsomed to these despicable types.

All in Australia feel for you and support you fully
.
Don Ezekiel.



Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

09-14-2001 05:36 AM



Paul Farkas
Administrator

Registered: Dec 2000
Location: Boca Raton, FL, USA
Posts: 961

A First Hand Description

I received an E mail from member Bob Koetting, that came from his Grand daughter Sheri. He gave me permission to to copy it and share with our members. Sheri Koetting wrote...


Dear friends and family

In case you haven't heard already I am okay
and at home safe in my apartment this evening.

Today was quite an event in NY.

I got up this morning, voted in the primary
elections and headed to work. On the way into
the office I ran into 2 of my co-workers, Alan
Ayo, and we ran into our office doorman
who speaks little english. He told us some
crazy story of how a plane had flown into a
building downtown. Having already seen the
billowing smoke in the sky and all of the
emergency vehicles rushing by we thought
we'd check it out.

My new office, located at 100 Lafayette St.
is only a 10 minute walk from the World Trade
center, so we only had to walk 2 blocks.

There I saw that the small prop plane I expected
to find sticking out of the side of a building was
in fact a gaping hole in the side of the World
Trade Center. I was stunned and shocked.

As I looked around I realized that the
people filling the streets all around me were
employees from the building as well as
FBI agents gathering information and securing
the seen. Slightly freaked out we decided to
rush back to the office and find out what
was happening. As we headed back office,
buildings we emptying on every side. Most
all of them housed government offices.

At the office my co-workers, Tyson and Aimee
seemed frazzled. Tyson, having just come into
NY on a train at the World Center heard the
explosion and rushed to the roof to see what
was happening. There they saw things that
will haunt me forever. Innocent people were
fleeing for their lives. One man was waving
a flag from a top story window. Then they
actually saw the second explosion-right about the
time I was entering the office.

>From the roof of our office I could see both
fires ragging with an intensity that seemed
unreal. Both towers had gaping holes that
looked unbelievable. Everyone seemed dazed and
confused. Without phone or radio access
anything seemed possible.

We thought maybe an accident, and since they hadn't seen
the second plane-only the explosion-maybe
a bomb. Anything seemed possible.
As the fires raged on and we wondered where
were the fire fighting planes, where the
sprinklers working, what would the buildings
look like tomorrow? We hoped that the people
inside wouldn't run to the roof as it was
engulfed in intense, black smoke. We even
planned that they could climb the yellow
tower at the top. Then more people started
jumping. It all seemed so wrong.

Downstairs one woman from my office stayed
to answer the phones-which when they worked
were ringing off the hook. At a certain
point she came up to say that the Pentagon
had been bombed and that another plane was
in the air. I decided to skip the display
and get out of there. I grabbed my friend,
Pilar, and we started running to my house.

The scene on the street had progressed to
controlled mayhem. Vehicles with sirens
rushed by on all sides, drivers were
unusually crazy, and pedestrians filled
the street all walking north. Every pay
phone we passed was occupied with a line
sometimes 15 people deep.

A third of the way home we passed a fish
market with a TV and saw that the first
tower had collapsed. Two thirds of the
way home we stopped to look back and saw
that the second tower stood alone in the
sky and was certain to collapse at any
moment. Since I hadn't been able to
contact Marc I decided to continue home
as quickly as possible.

By the time we walked into the door of my
apartment the second tower had collapsed
as well. The sky was filled with a thick
white and grey smoke. The view I once
had of the towers was replaced with a void.

I finally got in contact with Marc's boss
who told me that he was on his way home
from his office in mid-town, out of harms
way. We were also able to contact those
remaining at my office who had seen the
collapse from the roof and were now being
forced to evacuate the area.

Eventually my entire office, 6 people, came
to my apartment to regroup, watch TV and
strategize on how they would get to their
homes uptown and in queens since no public
transportation was running. Eventually they
headed home with a long walk ahead of them.

Now as night has come the cloud of dust still
lingers in the sky. Luckily for me it's
blowing over Brooklyn. My boss who lives
deep in Brooklyn found a financial file
folder on his doorstep.

All is quiet, too quiet on my block.
They've closed off my street to through
traffic. We are just hoping that the worst is over.

Thanks so much to everyone who called and
wrote today wondering how I am. The phone
lines have been packed and right now we're
just resting, hoping and praying that things
will calm down tomorrow.

So again. I'm fine, I'm more than fine and
happy to be alive.

Lots of love,
Sheri

Sheri Koetting
Graphic Design


Thank you Bob and Sheri for sharing.





__________________________________________________
_____



Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

09-14-2001 11:42 AM



Paul Farkas
Administrator

Registered: Dec 2000
Location: Boca Raton, FL, USA
Posts: 961
An Editorial From Canada

Bob Levoy, a member E mailed me the following and gave permission to share this with the entire membership.

He wrote...



This is from a Canadian newspaper editorial, and speaks volumes about the
courage and generousness of spirit that exist only in America.
Bob

Subject: TRIBUTE TO THE UNITED STATES - editorial from a Canadian
newspaper

Bob e-mailed me an addendum. He wrote...

Update on that editorial;I've learned it was written by Gordon Sinclair
during the Vietnam War.
Bob



America: The Good Neighbor.
Widespread but only partial news coverage was given recently to a remarkable
editorial broadcast from Toronto by Gordon Sinclair, a Canadian television
commentator. What follows is the full text of his trenchant remarks as
printed in the Congressional Record:

"This Canadian thinks it is time to speak up for
the Americans as the most generous and possibly the least
appreciated people on all the earth.
Germany, Japan and, to a lesser extent, Britain and
Italy were lifted out of the debris of war by the
Americans who poured in billions of dollars and
forgave other billions in debts. None of these
countries is today paying even the interest on its
remaining debts to the United States.

When France was in danger of collapsing in 1956,
it was the Americans who propped it up, and their
reward was to be insulted and swindled on the
streets of Paris. I was there. I saw it.
When earthquakes hit distant cities, it is the
United States that hurries in to help. This spring,
59 American communities were flattened by tornadoes.
Nobody helped.

The Marshall Plan and the Truman Policy pumped
billions of dollars into discouraged countries. Now
newspapers in those countries are writing about the
decadent, warmongering Americans.
I'd like to see just one of those countries that
is gloating over the erosion of the United States
dollar build its own airplane. Does any other
country in the world have a plane to equal the Boeing Jumbo
Jet, the Lockheed Tri-Star, or the Douglas DC10?
If so, why don't they fly them? Why do all the
International lines except Russia fly American
Planes?

Why does no other land on earth even consider
putting a man or woman on the moon? You talk about Japanese
technocracy, and you get radios. You talk about
German technocracy, and you get automobiles.
You talk about American technocracy, and you find
men on the moon - not once, but several times -
and safely home again.

You talk about scandals, and the Americans put
theirs right in the store window for everybody to look at .
Even their draft-dodgers are not pursued and
hounded. They are here on our streets, and most of them,
unless they are breaking Canadian laws, are getting
American dollars from ma and pa at home to spend here.

When the railways of France, Germany and India
were breaking down through age, it was the Americans
who rebuilt them. When the Pennsylvania Railroad and
the New York Central went broke, nobody loaned them
an old caboose. Both are still broke.

I can name you 5000 times when the Americans raced
to the help of other people in trouble. Can you name
me even one time when someone else raced to the
Americans in trouble?

I don't think there was outside help even during the San Francisco earthquake.
Our neighbors have faced it alone, and I'm one
Canadian who is damned tired of hearing them get
kicked around. They will come out of this thing with
their flag high. And when they do, they are entitled
to thumb their nose at the lands that are gloating
over their present troubles. I hope Canada is not
one of those.

Stand proud, America!"


Bob Levoy


We might have been divided about Viet Nam in the 60s and 70s. This time we are united to get rid of these SOBs once and for all.



Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

09-14-2001 11:48 AM



Paul Farkas
Administrator

Registered: Dec 2000
Location: Boca Raton, FL, USA
Posts: 961

Wish to be more proactive?

I received this E mail from Member, Gary Gerber.
He requested that it be passed along to those interested.

He wrote...


"You already know it is very unlike me to send out chain e-mail, jokes, etc.
However, the events of the past few days have deeply affected my family.
While we have suffered no immediate loss of life, four of our friends, and
we are unfortunately expecting more, are still missing. As some of you
know, I live in Franklin Lakes, NJ - about 20 minutes from NYC. About 50%
of the residents in my town worked in or near the WTC.

As some small consolation, I would ask that you consider adding the
following banner to your web site or asking those in charge of your
corporate sites to do so. When the banner is clicked, it will take viewers
to a site set up by amazon.com whereby they can donate to the Red Cross. If
you'd like to see what it will look like on your own site, you can see it on
my home page. Feel free to pass this along to others as you see fit.

Thank you.

Gary . . ."


Reports are coming in from local Florida media sources that the scam artists are not resting. Beware of telephone solicitations especially where credit card information is requested. Stick to the charities that you know.



Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

09-14-2001 05:09 PM



Keith Holland
Member

Registered: Apr 2001

Location: Cheltenham, United Kingdom

Posts: 2

Here in England there is universal shock and horror at what has happened in New York and Washington. Today our country came to a complete halt as we observed three minutes silence. To all Americans, and especially to those of you in New York, all I can say is that we are with you in spirit.

What has seemed so extraordinary is that everyone I speak to has some fairly close contact with the tragedy. Neighbors, friends, relatives who are in New York, or have worked at WTC. This event has affected countless millions in a personal way.

In Britain we have had our share of terrorism over the years - as a child I was once caught up in an IRA bomb blast, yet we have lost more Britains in New York this week than in any other terrorist action in our history.

I fervently hope and pray that such response as is made is measured and controlled, for we are truly on the edge of an abyss.

As we stopped working today, and stood, patients and staff alike were in tears, for although 6,000 miles away, at one and the same time we were with you, as one.

Keith Holland
England



Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

09-14-2001 08:51 PM



Paul Farkas
Administrator

Registered: Dec 2000
Location: Boca Raton, FL, USA
Posts: 961

A Report from an OD who resides in New York City

Member Charles Klein has been keeping a journal since Day 1. He has graciously allowed us to share his thoughts.

He wrote...

What's going on here is unreal. It's 5:00 in the afternoon, and people are
walking around midtown Manhattan in an attempt to have life go on. The
bizarre sight is the smoke billowing up into the sky from downtown. My home
windows face south, toward lower Manhattan, and I'm watching thick, black
smoke filling the sky in front of me. I never got to my office today, since
the bridges out of Manhattan were all closed, so I went into my wife's high
school to volunteer to help in some way.

You just felt like you had to do something to help someone. We had a ton of parents, guardians and friends coming to get kids, so they sure did need volunteers. I dealt with some sobbing adults picking up kids whose parents were missing or unheard from.

No names of the missing or dead have been released, but we're all holding
our breath at the numbers anticipated. A mass morgue has been set up no too far
from my home. I know of at least one list member whose office is downtown,
and I fear there may be others. My wife and I are heading over to the Red
Cross to give blood.

Thanks to the listees who have posted about this tragic, horrible event.
Your prayers are appreciated. Oh my God, the tv network I have on just
reported that 7 World Trade Center has just gone down. I see an even larger
smoke cloud rising up into the sky. Oh God, Oh God. I've got to go now.

Charles Klein, OD
New York


Reporting Day 2

When I got up this morning, as I'm sure most of you did, my first thoughts
were of a bad dream having happened....that one brief moment at awakening
when the fine line between reality and imagination is first forming. Then,
it hit me again as I looked out the window and still saw a pall of smoke
hanging over lower Manhattan. Like all of you, I turned on the tv and saw that
fires were still burning in the WTC area.

The bridges were open outbound out of New York, but I thought that if I
drove out to my office (in Forest Hills, Queens) I might not be able to drive back
in. Fortunately, my part of the subway system was working on a reduced
schedule, so I left early, took the subway, and here I am.

Walking to the train takes me about 25 minutes, and the look of the city was.....
well....... strangely quiet. Not too many people were out, sort of like on
a holiday when all the locals are out of town. I live right near Lincoln
Center, which was totally blocked off with barriers and guards. I guess
it's considered a potential target on some worst-case scenario blueprint. Some
people were walking as usual, some tourists with maps, folks with cell
phones oblivious to everything around them.

The construction project at the old Coliseum site at Columbus Circle was strangely quiet. Broadway right below Central Park had almost no car traffic. The subway was eerie. Lots of people, but no sound, and strangest of all, no laughter. I mean, the crowds
on the subway are never quiet. Every noise was met with stares from
others...like an intrusion into their privacy.

Now, on the New York subways, eye contact is usually avoided, but today, if you caught someone's eye, the look that was returned was more of a sigh....a look of resignation.....a
look of I know how you feel....and there was this spirit of, well, togetherness.
It wasn't like when JFK or RFK or MLK were assassinated. Those events caused
outright grief, people crying in public without embarrassement or hesitation.

The dead here are nameless and faceless and uncounted. Mayor Giuliani and
others on tv have not speculated on the numbers of dead, rather they have
concentrated on the survivors that have been pulled from the rubble. Those
New Yorkers who have lost friends and loved ones are not out in public right
now. We don't know their private horror. The rest of us are just holding
our breaths awaiting the death count, as if that will be our signal that
it's okay to cry, to acknowledge the true horror that has been laid on our table.

I'll tell you one more thing about the people of this city - there's this
feeling of strength. My phone has been ringing this morning - patients are
calling, asking if I'm okay, rescheduling appointments, and you know that
life will go on.....not life as usual......but we will heal our wounds,
comfort our citizens, and we will survive. New York will still be here, and
we'll go on being this wonderful, powerful symbol of American spirit and
resolve.

Charles Klein, OD
New York



Reporting Day 3


Today started off not too badly. Up in my neighborhood, the horrible
burning smell in the air last night seemed to have abated, and, as I walked past
Lincoln Center, they had taken down the barricades. There were more people
out today, the subways were busier, and I caught glimpses of that old New
York Attitude again....as in, hurry up, you're in my way, gotta jaywalk,
can't lose those 5 extra seconds, you know, the New York Minute
routine.....and I feel, hey, my city's coming back a little.

And then, it started. The bomb scares. It's like every creep in the world
decided that, with our heightened awareness of security, it'd be a great day
to call in a prank, since nobody can take them for granted today of all
days. So, in one day, we had evacuations of the Metlife building, Lincoln Center
(so much for the lack of barricades), Grand Central Station, Penn Station
and LaGuardia Airport. Oh and yesterday they had a scare at the Empire State
Building too.

Now, most of what I'm telling you is stuff I heard glimpses of
on radio and through patients. If you're following these events in the
media, you may know more than I do, and I apologize for any erroneous heresay. But
the mood today is Pissed Off. We'd all like to take these phone pranksters
and hang 'em from the rafters. On the other hand, every threat now has to
be taken SERIOUSLY. Since the inconcievable has already taken place, all
horrors are now possible, and that's the scariest part - how can we ever let down
our guard? Even when we kill Bin Laden and maybe Saddam in the process, will we
ever feel like there isn't another maniacal, fanatical zealot right around
the corner?

As for the WTC area, you probably know more than I do. I heard that there
are more buildings in danger, weakened from the shocks and the heat and the
vibrations. I heard they pulled 6 firemen out from the wreckage still
alive. That's fantastic, really, and it helps up forget for a moment about the
1000s they didn't pull out. But with every rescue, there's some hope
sustained for more.

Who knows what tomorrow will bring? I'll be glad to get on the subway and
get on home to my wife and sit with her and listen to the terrible day she
had. Oh yes, they also had a bomb scare in her high school. These people,
whoever they are, call in a bomb scare in a high school? Oh, it's a famous
school, Performing Arts (remember Fame), so that gives them the high profile
they need? For shame. Gimme one of their necks, and I'll wring it like a
chicken's. It's like when the vultures come after the already dead, except
we're not dead, and these morons aren't as patient as the vultures are.

What a day!
Charles Klein, OD
New York


Reporting Day 4

The sky is crying. And the tears only make it worse. As you may know from
tv, it has been raining all night long. The ash at ground zero, which was
described originally as powdery, has now, from all reports turned into
slick, slippery mud. Rescue workers are scrambling over mounds of debris now as
slippery as glass. Great, huh?

I drove to work today. I steeled myself for the view of lower Manhattan
that I always get from the Triboro bridge, but it was so cloudy and rainy that it
was totally obscured by fog. So I still haven't had that one sight that I
know will drive even more home the reality of the horror.

My block is like a war mobilization zone, in that the American Red Cross is
on my corner. There are so many workers out there, filling trucks and vans
with cases of water and food and supplies, that you wonder where all these
people came from, how they cut time out of their lives to do this volunteer
work, and you feel incredibly proud to just witness it.

I had a guy walk into the office yesterday with bilateral inflammations,
tearing and in obvious discomfort. I said to him "what happened to you", and
he responded World Trade Center. Seems he was in the vicinity when the hits
occured, and he was showered with rubble and soot. He was taken to triage
center where his eyes were irrigated and his bruises and cuts treated, and
he was told to find professional help after he got home.

They did as good a job on him as could possibly have been done on the scene, but he clearly needed follow-up. He had surface abrasions OU and some particles still embedded under his upper lids. So I irrigated and cleaned his lids, gave his some
tobradex and celluvisc hs, and told him to come back in a few days.

When he offered to pay me, all I could say was "Hey....I'm glad I had a chance to do
something for someone so directly involved". And it felt good to me. So I
guess I understand a little more about those volunteers at the Red Cross on
my block. We all do what we can. The whole city's been like that. It's
great.

I'd like to say thanks to all of the listees who have sent me personal
replies in response to these reports I've been writing. I appreciate all of
your support and comments.

Charles Klein, OD
New York

Report Day 5

Hi Paul,

here's my last installment, if you want to post it on seniordoc.

Thanks for putting up the other 4.

Charles

I saw it today. The view. The skyline of lower Manhattan without the
towers. Driving to work today over the 59th Street Bridge, looking over
my right shoulder on a perfectly clear day. The area is still smouldering,
and there's smoke smoke rising from the site, but it's not as dense as it was.

The rain has washed some of it from the air. I could clearly see what I
could no longer see, what was no longer there. I remember New York before the WTC. I'm a native. We watched these things go up, slowly, progressively up and up, wondering when they would stop.
.
Took a long time. And then one day they did stop They put the antenna up, and
the buildings were done. Period. We had been given a long time to get used
to their existence, so seeing them wasn't such a great shock. We locals
missed the shock part.

I used to love when people came to visit me in New
York for the first time. I'd pick them up at the airport and drive them into
the city and I'd wait for the first great glimpse of the skyline so I could
see the look of amazement on their faces.

And it was always about the WTC first. Seeing those two buildings for the first time, seeing them standing over the harbor, reflecting light and space, that was a shock I always wanted but had always been denied. So I shared the wonder vicariously with my
guests. They went "wow, those building are incredible", and I'd go "yeah,
I know what you mean". And I'd smile.
So today I had my shock. I can no longer tell myself this is some bad
movie with great special effects. I can no longer hope that they'll blow away
all of the dense smoke of this past week and find the buildings still standing
there. Nope. Not happening. They're gone. I've seen it. I've had my shock.

People are talking about it today. Everyone you see, all my patients and
neighbors near the office. Everyone asks everyone else...Are you
ok?...Hopefully no family or close friends?...Have you seen it yet?

And everyone has these incredible coincidence stories. My friend/cousin/neighbor would've been there if not for.....I heard stories about a guy whose young son wanted to help him shave, and he got a knick he had to fix, thus making him 15 minutes late to get to his office on the 90th floor; about a lady who for some reason forgot to buy her morning bagel in the lobby, so she got off the elevator at the 45th floor, and went back down nd was in the lobby at the hit instead of at her desk up at 95; about a guy who
hadn't been late in years, but for some reason got a phone call at home
that morning from an old girlfriend he really missed, so he said what they
hell, I'm going to talk for a while, I can be late once in my life.

I heard a ton of these stories. Everyone has one. It's great. Next week won't be so
great. Then comes the stories we won't hear. The coincidences that didn't
happen. The cars in the parking lots of the Long Island Railroad and PATH
trains that will still be there. The alarm clocks set to auto that will be going off every morning with no-one to turn them off.

They've now said
they have a list of 5,000 missing. We all think they're way low. We'd like
them to be right, but 5,000 seems a low estimate. Sometime today the media coverage of the operation has switched from the word rescue to the word recover. I noticed it. I guess everyone else did too.

The looks of the Red Cross volunteers mustering on my block were different
today. More tired and a lot less hopeful. But they were still there.

So folks, today at the end of my schedule, I'm going to take a few days
off and get away. My office is closed on Mondays, and Tuesday and Wednesday
are Rosh Hashanah, so I'm going to get in the car and drive up to my
weekend/vacation getaway house in CT, and just sit and feel lucky.

Lucky I' m alive, lucky my wife and family and friends are alive. Lucky I have a
place to live and a place to run away to and a place to work. Things once taken
„« for granted now no longer appreciated so lightly.
„«
Last year at this time, Rosh Hashanah, the celebration of a new year, last
year, as always, I wished all of you Peace. This year I wish you all Victory.

Thanks for listening.

Charles Klein, OD
New York


A wonderful first hand report from an almost on site observer. Charles E- mailed me to say he is taking a few days off but will be happy to answer any queries from our members upon his return.


>>



Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

09-15-2001 01:22 AM



Paul Farkas
Administrator

Registered: Dec 2000
Location: Boca Raton, FL, USA
Posts: 961
A report from South Africa
Member , Brian Levin e-mailed the following to share with our membership.

He and his wife Robyn wrote...


To our American friends

The outrageous and horrific events that took place this past Tuesday have left us stunned, numbed and incredulous. We pray and hope that you have not suffered the loss of close family, relatives or friends from this tragic event. Since our daughter Deborah and son in law Gavin have made Manhattan their home some five years ago we have become regular visitors to Manhattan and regard it as a home away from home.

When we look at the destruction to the Pentagon and the changed NYC sky line in the case of Manhattan we keep thinking that this is an old news clip from a previous decade but alas this is not so and we mourn with you for this horrendous violation of people, peace and property perpetrated by those whose response to dissatisfaction bears no proportion to the magnitude of their evil acts.

Over the past two years in Cape Town we have witnessed an affiliated organization of Ben Laden known as Pagad perpetrate acts of violence by bombing innocent civilians and during the struggle against apartheid terrorist bombing episodes occurred. Some of these bombs were detonated close to our place of work and on reflection and trying to recapture the feelings we had then on how to deal with this type of terrible threat, our reaction was to get on with our lives as soon as possible and not allow the cowards who carry out these crimes to gain any satisfaction by cowering society at large, which is exactly what they are trying to achieve. Already on TV we are witnessing the type of courage and resilience by New Yorkers in particular, that the British civilians demonstrated during the blitz of WW 11.

Thankfully our children were not hurt but both are very shaken that such an atrocity could occur in the USA. In the weeks and months ahead Deborah who is a psychologist will be very occupied in trauma and bereavement counseling and no doubt Gavin' s medical specialist training will be utilized to treat the injured.

Our own plans to relocate to New York remain unchanged and reasonably on course as we believe more firmly than ever before that the values embraced by the people of the United States are the values that we cherish. No one knows how the future will unfold over the next months but difficult times no doubt lie ahead. This terrible event has brought the civilized countries closer together than
ever before and such togetherness will help to share the burden in dealing severely with the nations and individuals who sponsor terrorism.

We take this opportunity to wish our Jewish friends a Happy New Year and well over the Fast and to us all we wish that this time will soon pass and a calmer and more peaceful time will return. To those who have suffered losses please accept our heartfelt sympathy.

Sincerely yours


Brian and Robyn Levin


Well said Brian and Robin. We look forward to your New York relocation and visiting with us on our web site.


>



Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

09-16-2001 04:24 PM



Paul Farkas
Administrator

Registered: Dec 2000
Location: Boca Raton, FL, USA
Posts: 961
What will happen to the innocent civilians

Donna Higgins, an OD practicing in Wisconsin posted this address of a valuable article on the Optcom website.

She gave me permission to copy and post it for our members to read and think about. The author discusses the innocent people who will be caught in the middle of the coming conflict.


http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2...stan/index.html

Thank you Donna.



Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

09-16-2001 09:58 PM



Fred Von Gunten, O. D.
Moderator

Registered: May 2001
Location: St. Clair Shores MI USA
Posts: 44
Donna, a response to that Website
I have read this website, and although I am a realist, I still say:

What Churchill said " Never Give Up" !

As with the the Stock Market: Always THINK LONG TERM!

Fred



After Fred¡¦s positive comment I closed the first topic. I realized there was much more to say but the shock was wearing off. When going through a grieving process resuming normal activities sometimes helps. I began a new topic with the title ¡§Time to Resume Doing What We Do Best¡¨

I wrote¡K

Administrator

Registered: Dec 2000
Location: Boca Raton, FL, USA
Posts: 961

Time to Resume Doing What We Do Best

We will never forget the horror of September 11, 2001. Our thoughts are with those who were lost or injured and their families and friends.

The way to honor them is to return to the pursuits that we do best. We must trust our elected officials and those brave individuals who will follow the direction of our leaders to do the right thing.

As ODs we must rededicate ourselves to be as good as we can be. In that way we can show the terrorists and world that their evil cannot win.

One immediate result of the events of the past week is the cancellation of Vision Expo West. If other national and regional meeting that depend on ODs and exhibitors to travel long distances, lose participants there will be a gap in C/E education, as well as in person information and professional interchange, that is so important.

The profession at least for the short term will be more dependant on the Optometric Print and Internet Media to make up for the inability to travel easily. Seniordoc.org will do every thing possible to help.

Our web site membership is blessed with a significant number of educators and experts in all aspects of Optometric Practice. I'm certain they will respond when questions arise requiring their expertise.

If needed, Docwolf our Web master and the architect of this site has volunteered his time to design and build additional Forums if needed. At present there are several important subjects underway, that we can resume discussing.

The Seniordoc.org mission of Information, Education and on occasion Entertainment has not changed . The new reality has made our reason for being more important than ever.

As always your participation and suggestions are welcome.



Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

09-17-2001 06:22 PM



Paul Farkas
Administrator

Registered: Dec 2000
Location: Boca Raton, FL, USA
Posts: 961
Airport Status
I have just returned from Ft. Lauderdale Airport. It was necessary to hand in unused Airline tickets in person to receive full credit. To the best of my knowledge any flight through September 25 can receive full credit if you elect not to use them. Tickets for flights after that time I assume have the usual restrictions. Check with your carrier if you can get through.

The airport was quite empty with only a few passengers checking in. Unusual for mid day but understandable.

Arriving at the entrance to the parking garage the county Police were checking the engine and trunk of every car. Only a 5 minute delay because of the lack of autos. When it is business as usual, the car check line will be very long.

Of course no curb side check in. At least at US Air every bit of luggage was checked before it was put through. This too will add time to your check in.

I was told at American Trans Air, where I received my other refund due to a Chicago Airport closure last week, that they may severely limit carry on luggage. Again, a good idea to check with your carrier before deciding on how to pack.

So for those of you who will be using the airlines leave yourself plenty of time. Pack very carefully since every thing is being inspected. ie nail clippers, scissors and metal nail file might be confiscated.

I made my apologies to the Maine Optometric Association and declined addressing them this weekend. I have never done that before. The flight from Ft. Lauderdale to Boston and transfer to a Portland flight ( The route some of the terrorists used) and then a car rental to Bethel is tiring under normal circumstances. With the flight restrictions just described combined with cancellations due to service cutbacks, I anticipated travel nightmares.

So for now I will spout my thoughts to my fellow ODs, on our web site from the comfort of my office. How are some of the other C/E presenters handling our new reality?



Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

09-18-2001 05:42 PM



Paul Farkas
Administrator

Registered: Dec 2000
Location: Boca Raton, FL, USA
Posts: 961
A Report on Personal Experience With Domestic Air Travel
Five weeks after the 9/11 disaster, I took a flight on ATA from Chicago Midway to
Ft. Lauderdale International Airport. I hope my experience will assist you on your next domestic flight.

I used a one way electronic ticket with a reservation made only 3 days prior to departure. A pleasant surprise the ticket had no added penalties for being one way or purchased on short notice. ATA at least has cut out fare gouging for these 2 situations.


I was instructed that only one carry on would be permitted and to arrive 2 hours prior to departure. Much to my surprise there was curbside checking. When the porter checked my ticket he escorted my luggage and me to the inside counter where I was notified that my 2 bags that I wished to check through must be opened and inspected.

Every item in my bags were opened and thoroughly searched. Why me? Perhaps one way tickets are flagged or the fact that I arrived early and the inspectors had the available time to search my belongings. I hate to think I have a suspicious appearance.

After the inspection my only carry on was a lap top computer. It was inspected thoroughly going through the metal detector and again before I boarded the airplane. Why me again? Any one carrying baggage through the metal detector had the carry on items searched. My additional check prior to boarding I imagine was based on the one way ticket.

My ticket and photo ID were carefully inspected at least 4 times during my sojourn from the ticket counter to the boarding area. I felt all these procedures were most comforting. The nice part upon boarding was that passengers having very few carry on items meant no delay in the aisle and the plane took off and landed on time.

My report was going to be 100% positive. The baggage check was not embarrassing since my compulsive nature forced me to pack my soiled laundry in bags in the event I was singled out for inspection. Arriving early allowed me to sample the new food court at Midway and I¡¦m pleased to report the Chinese Fast food was very good.

Then last night Dateline NBC had a report that only 10% of the checked bags are inspected by X- ray for bombs. This can make you a bit uneasy since these terrorists don¡¦t mind blowing themselves up.

I will continue to fly when necessary. Driving long distances is time consuming, expensive and per passenger mile far more dangerous than flying. Being a Seniordoc I¡¦m too old to change my habits because some lunatic zealots are attempting to change our way of life.

It would be helpful if other members who have used Airplanes, Trains and Buses could share their experiences.



Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

10-20-2001 06:08 PM



Paul Farkas
Administrator

Registered: Dec 2000
Location: Boca Raton, FL, USA
Posts: 961
Fight Depression

It has been over 7 weeks since the events that changed our lives. Daily reports at home and overseas continue to create anxiety.

Like it or not you have a leadership role and are head cheer leader in your practice. Your staff and ultimately your patients will follow your lead. It is time to cheer up and be optimistic.

Depression is far more contageous and much more likely to be dangerous to the well being of you and those around you than Anthrax . What can you do ?

You can take the advice of our national leaders and make it your patriotic duty to shop to help the economy. If you wish to cheer up the staff and help the local restaurant economy that has been suffering, why not take your staff out to lunch or dinner. Keep the topics on pleasant subjects. You will be amazed how quickly things can take an upbeat mode. Joy is also infectious.

Avoid spending most of your leisure hours watching CNN that has become fixated on one topic and one topic only. " The Crisis!".

With your added free hours away from CNN read or re-read some of our web site "Articles". Many are quite light hearted. Join in the conversations with our members. You will spend time with old friends and maybe even make a few new ones.

Life is too short to keep brooding. I will not let Zealots contol my life. I will travel when and where I wish as I have in the past.

One thing I will add to my knowledge is an attempt to better understand the Middle East, its Society, Politics and Religion. My C/E extends beyond Optometry, so I will attend Liberal Arts courses. Can you share any interesting courses you would recommend to our members?

Paul



Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

11-01-2001 02:14 PM



Fred Von Gunten, O. D.
Moderator

Registered: May 2001
Location: St. Clair Shores MI USA
Posts: 44
Optimists are always winners!
Paul:

I just returned from a week's trip to Casper, WY. My son moved out there almost a year ago,and it sure was great to see him and his wife,AND my almost 2 year old grandson.

Being around youth and children always makes Life wounderful.

Our flights were long, going from Detroit to Cincinnati to Salt Lake City and lastly to Casper,Wy. More direct flights were changed for us because of flight personel layoffs and aircrafts put on hold.

However, every Pilot,flight personel,and ticket represenitive was always smiling and very willing to help at any time. (I'm sure that their additude and optimism was needed for their own mental health,but don't we all try to be positive when our life's needs are at risk?)

Optimism leads to Good in people!
Depression leads to degeneration in people.(and evental death)

Our members need to share their feeling. You have provided the only 3 posts to this Thread!

Come on Everybody,It Time to Resume Doing What We Do Best!

Can we here from you?

Fred



Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

11-01-2001 04:46 PM



Paul Farkas
Administrator

Registered: Dec 2000
Location: Boca Raton, FL, USA
Posts: 961
Thank you for the uplifting words Fred. I received this item from a friend and it was so clever, I felt times being what they are, we would make an exception and have a funny on the site.

I hope our friends at DIVA and our women OD members do not take exception. Here goes...


Send the Women!!

Take all American women who are within five years of menopause - train
us for a few weeks, outfit us with automatic weapons, grenades, gas masks,
moisturizer with SPF15, Prozac, hormones, chocolate, and canned tuna -
drop us (parachuted, preferably) across the landscape of Afghanistan,
„« and let us do what comes naturally.
„«
Stuff like grocery shopping and paying bills, is formidable enough to
make even armed men in turbans tremble. We've had our children,
we would gladly suffer or die to protect them and their future. We'd
„« like to get away from our husbands, if they haven't left already.
„«
And for those of us who are single, the prospect of finding a good man
with whom to share life is about as likely as being struck by lightning.
We have nothing to lose. We've survived the water diet, the protein diet, the
carbohydrate diet, and the grapefruit diet in gyms and saunas across
America and never lost a pound. We can easily survive months in the hostile
terrain of Afghanistan with no food at all!

We've spent years tracking down our husbands or lovers in bars, hardware stores, or sporting events...finding bin Laden in some cave will be no problem.

Uniting all the warring tribes of Afghanistan in a new government? Oh, please ... we've planned the seating arrangements for in-laws and extended families at Thanksgiving
dinners for years ... we understand tribal warfare.

Between us, we've divorced enough husbands to know every trick there is for how they hide, launder, or cover up bank accounts and money sources. We know how to find that money and we know how to seize it ... with or without the
government's help!

Let us go and fight. The Taliban hates women. Imagine their terror as we crawl like ants with hot-flashes over their godforsaken terrain. I'm going to write my Congresswoman.
You should, too!

Have a Great Day !!



Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

11-01-2001 05:04 PM



Ted Kassalow
Active Member

Registered: Dec 2000
Location: Scarsdale, N.Y. U.S.A.
Posts: 41
Ted Kassalow--reporting from Manhattan--Today for the first time in a month, I did not have to open my trunk for inspection before parking in a office building near the office. Also, only one police car stationed at a small bridge I take coming to the city.

Despite some concern on my wife's part re:a scheduled trip to France, 2 weeks after the Event, it was therapeutic with the change of scenery--we did buy a European cell phone which we kept on 24 hours a day. Coming back from Paris, as I was just entering the plane, they requested that my carryon be checked in with regular luggage. On arriving at JFK, the bag was not there. It arrived at home a day later minus the lock--nothing was missing but my toothpaste tube had been emptied--were they looking for plastic explosives, foie gras, who knows?



Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

11-07-2001 04:11 PM



Paul Farkas
Administrator

Registered: Dec 2000
Location: Boca Raton, FL, USA
Posts: 961
An Interesting Article
Our primary mission at Seniordoc.org is to discuss Optometric issues. However, we are part of a larger society. With this in mind I copied an article that came to me by e mail. It is so appropriate to our times, that I took the liberty of adding it to our topic.

The author wrote...

By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN -- NYTiimes

"So let me see if I've got this all straight now: Pakistan
will allow us to use its bases Mondays, Wednesdays and
Fridays - provided we bomb only Taliban whose names begin
with Omar and who don't have cousins in the Pakistani
secret service. India is with us on Tuesdays and Fridays,
provided it can shell Pakistani forces around Kashmir all
other days. Egypt is with us on Sundays, provided we don't
tell anyone and provided we never mention that we give the
Egyptians $2 billion a year in aid. Yasir Arafat is with us
only after 10 p.m. on weekdays, when Palestinians who have
been dancing in the streets over the World Trade Center
attack have gone to bed. The Northern Alliance is with us,
provided we buy all its troops new sandals and give U.S.
passports to the first 1,000 to reach Kabul.

Israel is with us provided we never question the lunacy of
7,000 Israeli colonial settlers living in the middle of a
million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Kuwait would like
to be with us, it really would, since we saved Kuwait from
Iraq, but two Islamists in the Kuwaiti Parliament spoke out
against the war, so the emir just doesn't want to take any
chances. You understand. The Saudis, of course, want to be
with us, but Saudis are not into war-fighting. That's for
the household help. Don't worry. Prince Alwaleed has
promised to rent us some Bangladeshi soldiers through a
Saudi temp agency - at only a small markup.

The Saudi ruling family would love to cooperate by handing
over its police files on the 15 Saudis involved in the
hijackings, but that would be a violation of its
sovereignty, and, well, you know how much the Saudis
respect sovereignty - like when the Saudi Embassy in
Washington rushed all of Osama bin Laden's relatives out of
America after Sept. 11 on a private Saudi jet, before they
could be properly questioned by the F.B.I.

And then there's my personal favorite: All our Arab-Muslim
allies would love us to get bin Laden quickly, but the
Muslim holy month of Ramadan is coming soon and the Muslim
"street" will not tolerate fighting during Ramadan. Say, do
you remember the 1973 Middle East war, launched by Egypt
and Syria against Israel? Remember what that war was called
in the Arab world? "The Ramadan war" - because that's when
it was started. Oh, well. I guess the Arab world can launch
wars on Ramadan, but not receive them.

My fellow Americans, I hate to say this, but except for the
good old Brits, we're all alone. And at the end of the day,
it's U.S. and British troops who will have to go in, on the
ground, and eliminate bin Laden.

Ah, you ask, but why did we have so many allies in the gulf
war against Iraq? Because the Saudis and Kuwaitis bought
that alliance. They bought the Syrian Army with billions of
dollars for Damascus. They bought us and the Europeans with
promises of huge reconstruction contracts and by covering
all our costs. Indeed, with the money Japan paid, we
actually made a profit on the gulf war; Coalitions "R" Us.

This time we'll have to pay our own way, and for others.
Unfortunately, killing 5,000 innocent Americans in New York
just doesn't get the rest of the world that exercised. In
part we're to blame. The unilateralist message the Bush
team sent from its first day in office - get rid of the
Kyoto climate treaty, forget the biological treaty, forget
arms control, and if the world doesn't like it that's tough
- has now come back to haunt us.

And who can blame other countries for wanting to shake down
U.S. taxpayers when Dick Armey and his greedy band of House
Republicans are doing the same thing - pushing a stimulus
bill with more tax breaks for the rich, lobbyists and
corporations, and virtually nothing for the working
Americans who will fight this war?

My advice: Try not to focus on any of this. Focus instead
on the firemen who rushed into the trade center towers
without asking, "How much?" Focus on the thousands of U.S.
reservists who have left their jobs and families to go
fight in Afghanistan without asking, "What's in it for me?"
Unlike the free-riders in our coalition, these young
Americans know that Sept. 11 is our holy day - the first
day in a just war to preserve our free, multi-religious,
democratic society. And I don't really care if that war
coincides with Ramadan, Christmas, Hanukkah or the Buddha's
birthday - the most respectful and spiritual thing we can
do now is fight it until justice is done. "


Any comments from our overseas Optometrists. The viewpoints from their countries around the world, would be most interesting.



Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

11-08-2001 04:40 PM



Paul Farkas
Administrator

Registered: Dec 2000
Location: Boca Raton, FL, USA
Posts: 961

More on Travel

At last the evening news anchor people have a smile on their face. Even CNN changed the subject for at least a moment to ask the same question they asked until September 11. "What happened to Chandra Levy?".

So the media and at least for the short term, the Stock Market has felt some optimism as we approach the Holiday Season. Holiday Season for many of us means travel. This is especially true for our members who will be attending the AAO conference in Philadelphia.

Here is an update on my air travel experiences compared to Adam, our webmaster who travels as part of his MD/MBA day job.
Adam travels with only carry on and very early or very late flights. He reported no delays when passing through security.

My experience travelling mid-day with luggage to check , has been totally different. There was a long line to check baggage that was not accepted curbside. There was a second incredibly slow line through security. On one security line I was forced to go to the executive type supervisor and go to the head of the line or I would have missed my flight.

Other weird rules. Some time every thing is checked carefully and at other airports only cursory inspections. After passing through security at Midway Airport, Chicago I had lunch in restaurant with table service. The silverware consisted of a regular fork but a plastic knife. Is a fork less of a weapon than a knife?

This rule must have been designed by the same person that makes you raise your window shade when taking off or landing. I have never received an explanation why this is necessary that makes sense. Any ideas?

The obvious solution to the air travel quandry is arrive two hours early, bring a book and be pleasantly surprised if there is no long wait. Then enjoy a meal at the airport restaurant and let someone else eat the airline fare.

If you plan on using the train to Philadelphia, there are less lines but beware of limited seating. I'm flying to the AAO meeting. First Florida to New York for some meetings, then Bullet Train, NYC to downtown Philadelphia and then back to Florida by Air. As I said in a previous post above, if terrorists can change our life, they have won.

I for one will not let that happen.

See you in Philadelphia.

Paul



Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

11-21-2001 04:06 PM



Paul Farkas
Administrator

Registered: Dec 2000
Location: Boca Raton, FL, USA
Posts: 961
A Three Month Progress Report
Today is the 3-month anniversary marking the events of September 11, 2001. That Date will be remembered by all of us. In future years we shall recall what we were doing at the moment the plane smashed into the WTC.

Those of us really seniordocs can remember what we were doing when the news came that Pearl Harbor was being attacked. Another vivid memory was when FDR died suddenly. To us kids he was ¡§ The President¡¨, the only one we ever knew.

I imagine more of our members remember where they were when JFK, Martin Luther King and JFK were assassinated. Perhaps the killing of the Student Protestors at Kent State is ingrained in your memory. It might be of interest to our younger members if some of our more seasoned ODs would share their memories of the WW2 and Kennedy Years.

However life goes on. I¡¦m pleased to report that at least from a visitor¡¦s vantage; New York appears to be getting back to whatever normal is for that pressure cooker environment.

The AAO meeting was well run as usual. The highlight for Adam and myself was being present to see Susan Resnick our Clinical and Research Moderator, achieve passing all parts of an extremely difficult exam to become a Diplomate in the Cornea/ Contact Lens Section. A great honor indeed.

For those interested in learning more about why you should become an AAO member, read the article ¡§FAAO Curious¡¨ in the State of Optometry Forum. It is definitely worth the effort.

Travel has become a bit easier but still confusing. We arrived at Ft. Lauderdale Airport 2 hours early as requested. No baggage inspection of checked through items on Delta. Cursory inspection of carry on luggage and a full 2 hours to wait for the flight.

The high-speed train down town New York to down town Philadelphia required only a driver¡¦s license ID. No luggage inspection at all. A comfortable convenient way to travel under 500 miles.

The Air Trans Trip Philadelphia to Ft. Lauderdale was a different story. We again arrived 2 hours early. All luggages had to be opened and were carefully inspected. Carry on luggage also received careful scrutiny. Fortunately the airport on Monday noon was half-empty so check in went smoothly.

It would be useful for others to share their travel experiences so that our members become more comfortable with the idea of getting back on an airplane.


A Happy Holiday Season to all.



Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

12-11-2001 10:25 PM



Paul Farkas
Administrator

Registered: Dec 2000
Location: Boca Raton, FL, USA
Posts: 961
Air Travel with Young Children
New safety measures at airports were added on January 18, 2002. In theory all baggage must be inspected by various means before being placed on the airplane. This added measure could create further delays in the boarding process.

This is a report based on a single airport and an individual flight on a single airline. Your experience might be somewhat different. With those cautions in place here is the story¡K

My daughter Erika decided to take a break from the sunny upper 70s weather in South Florida to return to her home in suburban Chicago for a few weeks to enjoy the overcast weather and the temperature hovering in the teens. Her husband returned to work several weeks earlier, so my wife Carol, accompanied Erika back to Chicago to help on the plane with Maddy, age 29 months and Max age 7 months.

This is a report Carol related to me as a cautionary tale with those of you who plan on air travel with young kids. I dropped them off at Ft.Lauderdale Airport at the United Airline's location.

The first pleasant surprise was that curb side checking was still available and the security line moved rapidly so that I was able say my farewells at that point in less than 15 minutes. Was it really necessary to be there two hours before the scheduled departure with two young children?

So my wife and daughter decide to use the extra time to feed the kids and hope that they would sleep on the plane. Tickets for individual seats were purchased for the childeren as well. The 7-month-old required a heavy car seat to attach to the Airplane seat. (A real safety measure if the plane would crash.) Imagine a Mom travelling alone with 2 babies and a heavy car seat with no help.

There was no pre-boarding for handicapped and people with children. Delays for other passengers while the children were seated. My wife¡¦s seat which was supposed to be across the aisle from the kids disappeared. No help from the airline personnel during boarding or during the flight for that matter. Is this the new airline culture?

My wife finally managed to get her originally planned seat and was able to help during the three-hour flight. It was probably not much fun for the passengers seated near the kids either.

Why can¡¦t the airlines set up a section for those flying with young children? It would make parents happier and would make cranky passengers like me who fly frequently and want peace and quiet not have a look of panic when the kids come on board, fearing they will be in the next seat.

Happily the plane arrived on time at O¡¦Hare Airport. My son-in-law, Sean took his family in tow. My wife rented her own car and drove to our apartment with strict instructions¡K ¡§No calls and no grandchildren for a few days¡¨.

Erika will be returning in three weeks to Florida to defrost herself and the kids. She has scheduled this flight with no adult help. It should be very interesting.

The moral of this story is really planning your flights with young children. Carry on board as little as possible. Check your specific airport for security delays and arrive accordingly.

Any other travel stories you wish to share with members are appreciated.





Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

01-19-2002 12:32 PM



susan resnick
Moderator

Registered: Jan 2001
Location: melville, new york, usa
Posts: 73
since you asked...
Two more quick stories of our recent air travel pleasures:

The first incident occurred when my husband and son were returning from the World Series in Phoenix to Islip airport here on Long Island. My husband being compulsively super-punctual arrived more than two hours before the scheduled flight. The lines to check in were fairly long but moved at a steady pace. The lines through security, however were not moving at all. There were no airline personnel pulling people out of order to get the people whose flights were leaving first, through security faster. When Cliff and Marc finally arrived at the gate, they were told the plane had already left! There were four other passengers in the same situation. Then an amazing thing happened (after my husband virtually lost it) - the plane was called back to the gate to get them after it had already taxied down the runway! But that part of the experience was NOT the most stressful part - it was the daggers shooting out of the eyes of the passengers as Cliff, Marc, and the others made their way down the aisle of the plane!!

The second "disappointment" again occurred on a trip to Arizona during the Christmas holidays. We had booked a flight on Delta. It was a midafternoon flight with a change-over in Philadelphia. The ticket stated that dinner would be provided. Apparently due to recent economic problems, the airlines have pretty much stopped serving "meals".. The only problem is that they have not adjusted their ticketing information to reflect this. Needless to say a five hour flight, two teenagers and a bag of chex mix do not a party make!! When we got to the Hertz bus we were dizzy from starvation and proceeded to call our family (11 p.m.) to warn them that we would be raiding their refrigerator upon setting foot in the house. The Hertz bus driver got a good laugh when he heard this cell phone conversation.


Susan Resnick
Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

01-20-2002 03:23 AM

With Susan's report over 4 months after the 9/11 event, the topic ended.

An interesting Poll by Time /CNN conducted by Harris Interactive on August 28-29 found that the events of 9/11 are thought about by adults :

1. Daily - 30%%
2. Several times a week - 35%
3. A few times a month -27%
4. Hardly ever - 6%
5. Don't think about it at all - 2%

I hope the previous posts were useful. How have the events of 9/11 impacted on your life during the past year?
 
How has life changed?

I continue to fly but think about it a bit more. Arriving at the airport two hours early to be certain you can get through the lines on time makes using alternate transportation on shorter trips a definite possibility.

On my most recent trip last week, I asked a Southwest Airline Attendant why the long line some days and then no line for the same flight other days. She said the days to avoid flying at least on Southwest Airline is Friday, Sunday and Monday.

I appreciate the value of seniordoc.org more than ever since 9/11. It is a means of instant communication and although no C/E credits are issued, it’s a great way to learn. With many ODs hesitating to travel long distances to meetings, our web site is a useful way of staying connected.

With the help of our volunteers, we attempt to improve seniordoc.org to make it the very best Optometric web site. With our rapid growth, the profession seems to approve of our not for profit, no sponsor policy.

Most of all when you face sudden loss of life you appreciate the gift of life and try to make the most of each day. That is the lesson of 9/11.
 
I find it difficult, at this late date, to think of anything that hasn’t already been eloquently said or written about 9/11.

This is Sunday, 8 September and today’s issue of the New York Times has some wonderfully articulate writings that I can recommend. There was also a letter enclosed with the newspaper saying that everyone that subscribes only to the Sunday issue of the NYT, will automatically receive a copy of Wednesday’s (9/11/2002) issue. My guess is that it will be something to read.

Sad to say, the country will probably not be the same after this attack. The personal freedoms, open borders, lack of official scrutiny in our daily lives will probably be further curtailed as the country tries to establish some defense against any repetition of 9/11. That I find sad, but necessary.

I am reminded of something that Golda Mier once said about Muslim terrorists and what they were doing to Israel. I paraphrase:

"Eventually I can probably forgive them for what they did to us, but I will never forgive them for what they made us do to ourselves. "

She was, of course, talking about the necessity of making the population wary, security minded, less open, and all the things that we are seeing happening here in the United States.


Harvey
 
AFTERMATHS

My son and his family live on 66th st. and Broadway-about 5 miles north of ground zero. They face south on a high floor and were able to see and smell the smoke drifting north. How did that event affect them? They value of their apartment has risen about 20% but for the first time, and not in a panic mode, they have entertained the thought of going to the suburbs. (upcoming high costs for kids starting schools a factor) Though there is no obvious sense of anxiety, their feeling is that if another attack happens in the city, they will leave.
Many of my patients who are psychologists/therapists, etc. still report a large increase this past year requiring help to get over the shock.
Tourists have returned, Broadway shows are sold out and restaurants have recovered.

Let's hope it continues.
 
9/11

One year ago acrid smoke blew through my windows and terrace door, soot into my eyes...my once majestic view of the Trade Center was obliterated, replaced by a line of black smoke I could follow to Coney Island on my train ride to work...I cried with my neighbor down the hall for her Firefighter son, father of a one year old girl, who perished with his brothers...the Firehouse around the corner from my daughter's pre-kindergarten class, which she visited on a class trip, was sheathed in black swathes mourning the loss of twelve men whose photos remain in her scrapbook...the fountain my daugther relished on every trip to the Twin Towers is now a memory...

Wednesday, I will fly the biggest American flag I can find from my terrace...I will wear red, white and blue to work...I will pray for the humanity lost and those who mourn...

GOD BLESS AMERICA

In Memory of Firefighter Peter Vega

Katherine Mastrota
Brooklyn, NY
 

Attachments

  • 102-0241_img.jpg
    102-0241_img.jpg
    39.3 KB · Views: 452
A first Hand account

The events of Sept. 11th changed the lives of all Americans and certainly reached more than a number of citizens in other countries. I had the privelege to interview an O.D. a few weeks ago whose office was located across from the WTC site. He was there that day, caling patients to cancel appointments in fear they would show up and no one would be there.
In spite of it all, his outlook is amazingly optimistic and serves to remind us all that life in New York and around the country will go on. His story is a testament to the strength of all Americans. If you're interested in yet another first hand account of the events and how they changed one O.D.s life, go to www.revoptom.com. It's the lead story on the home page for now.

Thanks.
Michelle
 
Some wonderful thoughts and reflections however…

I’m surprised that so far only three members out of over 1800 ODs and Students have shared their thoughts. Katherine and Ted are from New York while Harvey is originally from Philadelphia. All cities potential targets for new “Terrorist” attacks.

Perhaps the most concerned people live in New York and Washington and their suburbs. Other big city residents also feel vulnerable, so 9/11 and its aftermath is an important issue. Add to this, the media is headquartered in these cities, so the impression is that there is national mourning and concern.

Is that really the case? If seniordoc.org is any indication, so far ODs and Students are more concerned about their day to day problems. Managing your practice, caring for your patients, the lousy stock market and paying off student debts appear to be more important issues.

Are the concerns of small town America an accurate reflection as indicated so far, by our web site response? I wonder. No more selective service means we leave the fighting to our Professional Military. Would we be more concerned about the Administration’s call to arms, if there is a new draft of a citizen army?

What has this to do with Optometry? Is it an appropriate for discussion on an Optometric Web site? I leave further comments up to you.

:confused:
 
Great Article Michelle

Having you as a participating seniordoc.org member is an honor.

I hope members read your article and come back to our seniordoc.org web site to comment.

:)
 
Dear All,
In response to Paul's invitation , am posting a copy of an article I wrote on 9/15/01 for the local Jewish Federation newspaper ,at their request.It was my preception of that malevolent moment in time...it was directed at an essentially Jewish readership...but regardless of faith or beliefs, I hope it might be of some meaning to all.
Dr. Joe Birnbaum
A TRAGIC LOSS OF INNOCENCE
Where were you on that transforming , cataclysmic day beyond belief ?…………
I was working at my computer on that calamitous Tuesday morning oblivious to the horror unfolding in New York City and Washington DC . …when suddenly an instant message from my son Rich (from his NY office ) appeared on the screen. The following is a recap of our exchange. Rich: "I'm Ok" , Me: That's great ..what else is new? , Rich :"I guess you haven't heard..put your TV or radio on"
I did and then as I struggled to wrap my brain around the incomprehensible events I was seeing and hearing ….this final message appeared and my son signed off. .
Rich:" I'm the senior here today..I am hearing and feeling explosions and must make some decisions..bye"
And then began my efforts to track relatives and friends sans access to telephones , due to the overloaded lines south of here.By evening (using the internet) I knew we had been spared the tragedies that have impacted (and will continue to impact) the lives of so many other families in our area.
I am old enough to have lived through a number of world shaking events that have threatened the stability and safety of our people here and abroad. I have experienced the disbelief, fear , anger and resolve to preservere in the face of acts that defy human understanding. I have also experienced the tendency to get past the shock of the event and stash it in my memory bank as a horrible historic event which probably won't reoccur.
Nothing I have experienced can compare with this monstrous slaughter of the innocents. Not the attack on Pearl Harbor , nor the first news reports and newsreels of the death camps of the Shoa, nor the assassinations of the Kennedys and Martin Luther king , nor the '93 World Trade Center bombing , nor the Oklahoma bombing had quite the same effect .Perhaps this can be explained by the fact that we Americans learned in a bloody instant that we have lost our innocence and many of our freedoms irretrievably.
We now can understand the siege mentality that our Israeli chevra have learned to live with for fifty years. We can now understand that life in the future and forever will be a trade-off of our precious civil liberties for security. Now we know what our Israeli brethren have been trying with little success to explain to their supportive but critical co-religionists in the Diaspora.
We Jews are known as a people with a penchant for never forgetting our historic tragedies. Tish'ah'bav and the 9th of Av evolved into an annual moment of remembrance of tragic ancient historic catastrophes which included the destruction both Temples and the Bar Kochba fortress , Bethar .We Jews enshrine our tragedies recalling them regularly lest we lose our vigilance and allow ourselves the luxury of letting our guard down.
The Shoa left our people with emotional scars that inform and direct our commitment as Jews today . By regularly recalling the holocaust (Yom Hashoa) we become more vigilant and more sensitive to oppression of minorities anywhere This craven attack on America will transform us as a nation and will alter our view of the world around us.We have last our innocence and will celebrate that loss not simply by a call for punishment in kind but by heightened vigilance and a renewed commitment to world peace in our time. X X X
 
Hi Joe:

What a great essay! We in Optometry are blessed to have writers with your eloquence. Your article might have been meant for a limited audience but your message rings true for all people everywhere.

What you said was absolutely correct last year, this year and like any classic will be true 20 years from now.

Thank you for sharing.

Paul
 
A wonderful 9/11 memorial

I visited a Photographic Exhibit at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, FL. If the Exhibit comes to your town don't miss it.

For more information log on to http://hereisnewyork.org/contact/query.asp
 
Our Australian colleagues feel the tragedy created by Al Qaeda

Member, Don Ezekiel from Perth, Australia e-mailed me this after the painful loss of life in the Bali blast, many of whom were young Australians.

Don wrote…

“Note to terrorists (if they can read)

You hurt us bombing Bali, but we can take the pain,
But if you think you'll beat us you can think a-bloody-gain
We battled at Gallipoli and we fought the bloody Hun
Of all the arseholes we've had to face you're just another one

You won't get your hands dirty; you won't fire a gun
Whenever danger threatens you just pack your gear and run
You brainwash innocent children to do your evil deeds
Careful not to let them know just where it really leads

You get them to believe all your bigotry and lying
Until they cannot see that there's no glory in their dying
Now we'd like to pose a question, answer if you can
Where does your holy book tell you to kill your fellow man?

Now listen hard and listen well, we're giving you the word
You're never gonna beat us you spineless bloody turd
You'd never face us personally you haven't got the guts
You know that if you ever did we'd have your bloody nuts

Our spirit is unbroken, and our heads are still unbowed
We sure as hell aren't scared of you and your gutless crowd
So get your act together-you'll never win because
What you're really up against is the spirit that is OZ”

Our thoughts are with our Australian friends.
 
Some Veteran's Day Thoughts

Another Veteran's Day has come and gone with the usual ceremonies and our Veteran's are getting older and marching a bit more slowly.

When I was a kid, 11/11 was called Armistice Day. Then in 1954 when Dwight D. Eisenhower was President, the name of the holiday was changed to Veteran's Day.

Perhaps, now that nearly 50 years have past and there is hardly a WW1 Veteran left, and our WW2 Veterans are leaving the scene as well, it may be time a for a name change to honor those who protect us Domestically as well as Internationally.

Perhaps the holiday should be re-named "Hero's Day". In that way we can say thank you to our "Domestic Heros" who also place their all on the line for our benefit.

Whether it's 9/11 or 11/11 we should be proud of these folks and stop what we are doing and say... "Thank you , we'll never forget you."
 
9/11 Remembered

This the second anniversary so for those who wish to remeber here were the posts from that time two years ago.